By Kenneth Cross
The personality of the Gonzaga Bulldogs is once again solid as they return for the 2022-23 season which is the 11th consecutive year that the Bulldogs have been favored to win the league.
The following is a quick sketch of each team in the WCC and the standings are made by the WCC Preseason Poll:
1) Gonzaga – Coach Mark Few will welcome back big man Drew Timme back to the roster where they led the nation in scoring at 87.6 points per game while shooting 52.1 percent (1st/CBB) for the floor. Few also returns Julian Strawther (11.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Rasir Bolton (11.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg). This team was as good defensively as it allowed only 38.1 percent from the field, third in college basketball last season. Watch transfer Malachi Smith (Chattanooga) and Efton Reed, III, (LSU) as a pair of players who can make a difference immediately.
2) Saint Mary’s – The Gaels were once again one of the top defensive teams in college basketball as they allowed only 60.1 points per game (9th/CBB). Logan Johnson is the leading returning scorer at 11.9 points per outing with Alex Ducas (10.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg) as a small forward. Randy Bennett had one of his better defensive teams last season as the Gaels gave up only 5.1 three-pointers per game.
T/3) BYU – The Cougars cast themselves into their last WCC season as they move to the Big 12 for the 2023-24 year. BYU posts a deep team which returns the third and fourth leading scorers in Fousseuni Traore (9.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and Gideon George (8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg) as Traore shot 58.7 percent from the field last season. The Cougs will look to improve their defense overall even though opponents shot only 30.6 percent from three last season.
T/3 San Francisco – Todd Golden took the Florida coaching job and Chris Gerlufson takes over as he brings in a pair of solid transfers at guard in Marcus Williams of Texas A&M and former Washington State Cougar Tyrell Roebrts. Guard Khalil Shabazz (13.7 ppg) is the Dons leading returning scorer as he takes his fifth season on the Hilltop. USF had one of the nation’s top offensive squads last season and Julian Rishwain will return after making 43 percent of his three-point shots.
5) Portland – Watch the job Shantay Legans is doing with the Pilots as they finished 19-15 last season. Tyler Robertson returns as the Pilots’ leading scorer (15.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and he will be one of the top players in the WCC once again. Moses Wood shot 47.6 percent from the floor as he and Robertson will once again be a quality one-two punch. The Pilots will look to improve their defense even more as they allowed 8.5 three-pointers per game.
6) Santa Clara – Keshawn Justice is the leading returning scorer at 13.0 points and 6.7 rebounds, which led the Broncos. He will join Parker Braun, who shot 62 percent from the floor, as the two returning starters for coach Herb Sendek. The Broncos were an offensive fortress last season in averaging 77.3 points (39th/CBB). The key is to bring things forward on defense as they gave up 71.9 points per night (254th/CBB).
7) Pepperdine – With four returnees who were the top four scorers, the Wave could be much improved in the WCC after a 1-15 record inside the league last season. Coach Lorenzo Romar enters is fourth season with Houston Mallett (13.6 ppg) and Jan Zidek (13.3 ppg) as a top three point-shooter and a post, respectively. Maxwell Lewis (11.0 ppg.) and Mike Mitchell, Jr. (9.1 ppg) return as two other keys in the lineup. Tuning the defense will be a must as Waves’ opponents shot 46.5 percent (327th/CBB) while averaging 77.5 points per game (341st/CBB).
8) San Diego – Welcome coach Steve Lavin back to the college hardwood as he takes over the Toreros. A huge key is the returns of Marcellus Earlington (13.2 ppg) and Jase Townsend (11.3 ppg). The Toreros have to pick up the offense as they shot only 42.8 percent (249th/CBB) from the field and only scored 65.8 points per game (307th/CBB). Lavin picked up key transfers in Oregon’s Eric Williams and Stanford’s Jaden Delaire. Nic Lynch from Lehigh and former Weber State WIldcat Sigu Sisoho Jawara were solid starters at both schools and should give Lavin solid minutes.
9) Loyola Marymount – Keli Leaupepe (9.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) while Cam Shelton and Jalin Anderson averaged 8.4 points per game for the Lions. Dameane Douglas will be a key as well as he played in 13 games and started 10 before he was sidelined for the rest of the season with an injury.
10) Pacific – The Tigers have to improve from an offensive standpoint after averaging only 65.9 points (311th/CBB) and they shot only 41.5 percent from the floor (305th/CBB). Luke Avdalovic and Nick Blake return as the third and fourth leading scorers from a year ago. Clearly, Pacific must improve on offense to get the program to rise in the standings.